It is known to provide a plurality of needle cylinders on a single frame for simultaneously knitting a plurality of tubular articles, such as socks. These prior types of multiple cylinder knitting machines are usually provided with a single drive motor for rotating all of the needle cylinders at the same rotational speed. However, it is the usual practice to provide individual pattern control means at each of the needle cylinders for controlling the various instrumentalities used in knitting the socks, such as the yarn feed fingers, the yarn cutter and clamp, the needle selecting guides, etc. The provision of individual pattern control means can result in improper timing of one or more of the needle cylinders and can result in damage to the machine. Also, the provision of individual pattern control means for each cylinder requires additional drive means for each of the pattern control means. The provision of individual pattern control means and individual drives therefore results in more complicated mechanism for controlling the various elements of each of the knitting cylinders and also increases the size of the machine.